Baseball projecting machine



E. H. SERRANO BASEBALL PROJEGTING MACHINE July 7, 1942.

Filed Sept. 30, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 MM 6 .2 w////fl/////////////////////// /A U I A Q July 7, 1942. E. H. SERRANO 2,288,974

BASEBALL PROJECTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE BASEBALL PROJECTING MACHINE Edmundo H. Serrano, St. Louis, Mo.

Application September 30, 1939, Serial No. 297,390

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in baseball projecting machines.

The primary object of this invention is to project a baseball or the like by means of an oscillatory arm having gripping means for picking up the ball from a hopper feed device while the projecting arm is at the end of its wind-up stroke.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the above-mentioned character in which the balls are automatically fed to a ball receiver and gripper adapted to hold the ball in position for being engaged by the projecting arm, which positioning means is released by the contacting movement of the projecting arm therewith.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a baseball projecting machine in which the balls are fed automatically to a releasable gripper capable of being swung into and out of the path of the projecting arm during the end of its oscillating stroke.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel spring construction adapted to cause the rotation of the projecting arm during its throwing motion and to provide a ball throwing machine in which the ball is given a curve g according to the random position of the seam when picked up by the projecting arm.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying draw ings, wherein,

Figure l is a side elevational view of the ball projecting machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the ball receiver illustrating the manner in which the ball is dispensed into position for being picked up by the projecting arm;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the ball receiver illustrating the projecting arm at the termination of its windup stroke and illustrating the manner in which the ball is picked up by the gripping arms carried by the projecting arm;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top elevational view of the ball projecting arm illustrating the gripping fingers on the end thereof;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the spring device for rotating the projecting arm during its throwing stroke;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating in detail a spring device; and

Figure '7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line ll of Figure 6, looking in .the direction of the arrows, and further illustrating in detail the construction of the spring device.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and wherein like reference characters will be employed to designate like parts throughout the same, the reference character In will be employed to generally designate a base including a rectangular frame supported by wheels II at one end and a ground engaging rest l2 at the other end. A pair of parallel bars 13 are secured to one end of the wheeled frame I0 forming a handle and are braced by side bars I4.

Secured to the base 10 is a pair of vertical standards l5 between the upper ends of which is pivotally mounted a cylindrical casing I6 having the lower end closed by a convex wall I! while the upper end is provided with a series of ball receiving racks l8 capable of being rotated to bring a single ball into registry with an opening communicating with the elbow I9. The lower convex wall I! is provided with a curved arm which may extend through a suitable locking device carried by the framework 2| of the vertical standards [5. The upper ends of the ball receiving racks [8 are closed by a cover 23 detachably held in place so that the balls 24 may be inserted in the tubular racks I8.

After the balls have been fed to the elbow 19 at interrupted intervals, they pass downwardly through a tube 25 on the lower end of which is provided an elbow 26 connected to a vertical plate 21 secured to the cylindrical casing l6 by means of a brace bar 28. An opening 29 is formed in the vertical plate 21 for allowing the passage of the ball 24 therethrough so that they will come to rest on a ball receiving member 30 pivotally attached by means of the arm 3| to the vertical plate 21 as at 32. Formed on the plate 21 is a boss 33 in which is operably mounted a spring pressed plunger 34 having its opposite end projecting through the boss 33 and being threaded as at 35 for receiving retaining nuts 36.

A bowed ball guard 31 has one of its ends as at 38 secured to the vertical plate 21 while the opposite end is secured by means of a rivet 39 to a vertical bar 40 which passes therethrough and has its end anchored in the vertical plate 21. An enlarged sector-shaped portion 4| is formed on the guard bar 31 and is adapted to engage the ball 24 to retain the same in position while being moved upwardly to its pick-up position.

'the elastic band 59 similar to the pins 6 L to the curvature of the ball 24.

Pivotally secured to the upper end of the bar 40 as by means of a pivot pin 43 is a kick lever 44 having one end curved slightly as at 45 for being engaged by the ball projecting arm which will be hereinafter more fully described. An extension 46 formed on the kick lever 44 has pivoted to its end as at 41 a link 48 having a reduced portion 49 for receiving one end of a coil spring 53. The opposite end of the coil spring 50 engages a link 5| pivoted as at 52 to an extension 53 formed on the ball receiver 3|. The link 5| is reduced as at 54 for the purpose of anchoring the spring 50 in place.

Extending through the cylindrical casing [6 as at 55 is a drive shaft on the end of which is provided an escapement wheel 56 to which is attached a ball throwing or projecting arm 51.

The shaft 55 and escapement wheel 56 are operated in substantially the same manner as shown in the Tennis practice machine, patented October 13, 1936, No. 2,057,599 and the escapement wheel 56 and projecting arm 51 are rotated in an anti-clockwise direction by a motor until the arm 51 reaches the end of its wind-up stroke adjacent the ball receiver 35, at which time a clutch disengages the motor from the shaft 55 and escapement wheel 56 to allow the spring device 58 to rotate the projecting arm 51 in a clockwise direction.

The spring device 53 comprises an elastic band 59, one end of which is provided with a pair of triangular plates 60 having transverse pins 5! looped through the rubber band 59. Floating cylinders 52 are mounted on the transverse pins BI and present a larger curve surface for the inner wall of the elastic band. The opposite end of the triangular plate 50 is provided with a transverse pin 63 held in place by a cotter key 64 and said pin 63 extends through a strap loop 65' attached to one end of a strap 66 by means of rivets 51.

The strap 55 is passed around a pulley carried by the shaft 55 as shown in Figure 1 in dotted lines, While the opposite end of the elastic strap 59 is anchored within the cylindrical casing [6 by means of a chain or other fastening means including a pair of opposed triangular plates 63 having transverse pins 69 which extend through Floating cylinders Ill are mounted on the transverse pins 69 and engage the inner wall of the elastic band 59 to present a larger curved surface therefor. A chain H has its end connected to a trans verse pin 72, held in place by a cotter key 13' extending between the triangular plate 68 and pivotally mounted on the transverse pin 12 is a bushing 14 having a chain link 15 for coupling with the chain H. As mentioned above, the chain I! may be anchored in an adjustable manner to the framework supporting the mechanism within the interior of the cylindrical casing it.

Mounted on the free end of the projecting arm 51 is a ball gripping claw 16 having a bifurcated portion 18 and said claw 16 is curved to conform Cooperating with the claw 16 is a spring jaw 19 extending through an opening 85 in the claw and fulcrumed therein. The spring finger 19 is adapted to engage the ball 24 as shown in Figure 3 and the opposite end of the spring finger 19' as at 81% projects rearwardly. from the end of the projecting arm 51 where it is connected to a bolt 82 extending through the projecting arm and forming a guide for the free swinging end 8 l. A coil spring 83 encircles the bolt 82 and has one end engaging iii) the projecting arm while the opposite end engages the free swinging end 8| of the gripping finger 19.

Also secured to the free end of the projecting arm 51 is a leaf spring 84 by means of a bolt 85 and nut 86 and the free end of the leaf spring 84 is received in a notch 81 formed in the extreme end of the projecting arm 51 so that said leaf spring 84 will engage the free end 45 of the kick lever 44 at the end of its stroke in a counterclockwise direction to project one of the balls 24 into position between the claw 1B and gripping finger 19. As stated, anti-clockwise swinging movement imparted to the spring arm 51 causes the spring 84 carried thereby to strike the kick lever 44 to move it on the pivot 43 and with the tensioned link connection between the levers 44 and 3|, the latter is moved upon its pivotal mounting 32 to cause the inner end carrying the ball supporting cup 35 with the ball 24 therein to be moved upwardly and forcibly placing the ball 24 into engagement with the fingers 19 and claw 76 of the projecting arm. After the ball has been projected in position by means of the upward movement of the receiver lever 3|, the shaft 55 is released from the motor drive so that it may be rotated in the opposite direction by means of the spring device 58. Rotation of the projecting arm 51 in a clockwise position by means of the spring device 55 imparts centrifugal force to the ball 24 which force is adapted to project the ball when the projecting arm 5! engages a buffer 38 supported by a suitable bracket 89.

An angle bar 96 is secured to the cylindrical casing I B as at 3| and 92 for supporting the shaft bracket 93 and the buffer bracket 89.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub-joined claims. 3

I claim:

1. A ball projecting machine comprising a hopper for receiving balls in stacked relation, a ball receiver, a conduit connection between the hopper and ball receiver for singly deliverin balls to the receiver, and a projecting arm pivotally carried by the machine and having ball gripping fingers for picking the balls out of the receiver and projecting the same at the desired trajectory, said receiver comprising a pair of superposed and vertically spaced substantially horizontal levers having a resilient connection at their outer ends with the inner end of the lower lever constituting a ball support and the inner end of the upper lever being positioned for operative engagement by said projecting arm whereby the lower ball supporting lever is pivotally moved for placing a ball supported thereon into gripping engagement with the finger carried by the projecting arm.

2. A ball projecting machine comprising a hopper for receiving balls in stacked relation, a ball receiver, a conduit connection between the hopper and ball receiver for singly delivering balls to the-receiver, and a projecting arm pivotally carried by the machine and having ball gripping fingers for picking the balls out of the receiver and projecting the same at the desired trajectory, said receiver comprising a pair of superposed and vertically spaced having a resilient connection at their outer ends with the inner end of the lower lever constitutsubstantially parallel levers,

ing a ball support and the inner end of the upper lever being positioned for operative engagement by said projecting arm whereby the lower ball supporting lever is pivotally moved for placing a ball supported thereon into gripping engagement with the fingers carried by the projecting arm, said resilient connection between corresponding ends being operative to cushion the transfer movement of the ball from the supporting lever to the gripping fingers of the projecting arm.

3. A ball projecting machine as specified in claim 1 wherein the projecting arm swings in a counterclockwise direction toward the ball receiver for receiving a ball with the lower lever of the ball receiver being normally disposed out of such path of movement of the projecting arm, and said lower lever adapted to be moved into the clockwise path of movement of said projecting arm when the projecting arm is engaged with the upper lever of said ball receiver.

4. A ball projecting machine as specified in claim 1, wherein the ball gripping fingers are tensioned and laterally extend from the outer end of the projecting arm and said ball supporting lever being moved by said projecting arm to positively place a ball thereon within the gripping fingers.

5. A ball projecting machine comprising a hopper for receiving balls in stacked relation, a ball receiver, a conduit connection between the hopper and ball receiver for singly delivering balls to the receiver, and a projecting arm swingingly carried by the machine and having a ball gripping end for picking the ball out of the receiver and projecting the same, said receiver comprising a pair of superposed and vertically spaced substantially parallel pivoted levers with the upper lever having its inner end constantly in the path of movement of the ball gripping end of the projecting arm and operative connections between the outer ends of said levers whereby a ball supported on the inner end of the lower lever will be moved by said other lever into positive griping engagement with the ball gripping end of the projecting arm upon movement of said levers by the projecting arm.

6. A ball projecting machine as specified in claim 5, wherein the connection between said levers comprises a resilient element to cushion movement of the lever supporting the ball toward the projecting arm.

'7. A ball projecting machine as specified in claim 5, wherein the connection between said levers comprises a resilient element to cushion movement of the lever supporting the ball toward the projecting arm, and a spring device carried by the projecting arm for cushioning its engagement with the inner end of the upper lever.

8. A ball projecting machine as specified in claim 5, wherein the connection between said levers comprise a resilient element to cushion movement of the lever supporting the ball toward the projecting arm, and a guide arm associated with the ball supporting arm of the ball receiver for retaining the ball on the ball supporting lever prior to movement of the ball supporting lever toward the projecting arm.

EDMUNDO H, SERRANO. 

